


Sacrifice

by ElvenJedi3



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dark ritual (Dragon age origins), Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Multi, Sweet Zevran Arainai, Zevran and the warden love each other, i don't know how to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 16:43:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15800550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElvenJedi3/pseuds/ElvenJedi3
Summary: With the final battle approaching and knowledge of the wardens fate a decision must be made, but first the Warden needs to speak with the one who holds his heart.





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, so this is my first fic I've ever posted, please be gentle!
> 
> A little background info on this world state: Keir Mahariel and Ailsa Cousland are the two wardens Duncan recruited. Ailsa is my friends warden and she is in a romance with Alistair. 
> 
> This isn't beta read so any and all mistakes are mine.  
> ENJOY!

Morrigan and Ailsa leave my room, closing the door behind them. I needed a moment to think before I made any decisions. Today was too much. The knowledge of a Grey Warden's fate lingered in my mind. In War, Victory. In Peace, Vigilance. In Death, Sacrifice. Those last lines haunted me. So far much of my journey as a Grey Warden had been surrounded by death. From the very start, when I had thought Tamlen dead after we found the mirror, then learning of my own sickness. I wonder what would have been worse, dying of the blight with my clan around me or being responsible for so many lives with so much blood on my hands. There are four wardens now, Ailsa, Alistair, Riordan and myself, and yet I can't bring myself to ask them to do this for me. I promised Ailsa. She had said she could speak to Alistair about it, but I can’t imagine Morrigan and him in such an intimate situation, nor do I want to. 

I know if I do this, we all could still die horribly painful deaths, but if we stand a chance then we have to try. Riordan said he would strike the final blow to the archdemon, but there is no guarantee that he will succeed. If I do this whoever kills that monster has a chance to live. Ailsa's to be queen alongside Alistair and without Morrigan's help there's a chance that Fereldan's newest rulers will never make it to the throne. Those two are so in love its almost excessive, only a monster would separate them now. I go through my list of reasons why sleeping with Morrigan is the right thing to do. People are dying, the dead will stay dead but there are still lives at stake. Shem or not they don't deserve this. 

There is one person I have pushed to the back of my mind. For, I know as soon as I do, I'll feel nothing but guilt. Despite my efforts I cannot ignore it. I pull the earring out my pocket holding it between my thumb and forefinger. A gift from someone dear. Ma Vhenan. Either way a sacrifice must be made. One deadly, one not, and yet the latter is far more painful. I push myself up from where I am leaning against the wall. Tucking the earring away I quickly make my way to his room, walk turning into a run. I must speak with Zevran, I can’t lie to him. 

I knock and I hear a faint, "come in."

I push the door open. Zevran is sitting on the bed, amour gone and a cloth in hand wiping down his daggers. He looks up at me.

"Mi Amor" 

His eyes soften as he speaks the endearment. I walk toward him and he quirks an eyebrow. Without hesitation I pull him by his tunic into a kiss. I close my eyes and for a moment nothing else matters. I need this one last time. If he hates me after this I want to be able to remember what it feels like. He must have put his knives down, as I can feel his hands come to rest on my hips. He pulls me forward and I fall on the bed on top of him, lips still moving against his. His hands tangle in my hair, and he pulls the tie from my braid, hair now falling loose. I stop myself before this escalates and push myself up and on to the bed beside him. He chuckles softly rolling on to his side, his head propped on his hand.  

He smirks at me, and I know what he's thinking. As much as I would love to roll around in the sheets with him and take advantage of a real bed for once, I only have so much time before I must return to Morrigan. That along with the sickening feeling in my gut from leading him on like this keeps me from letting it escalate.

"Are you in the mood for a little fun before we march out to face the archdemon tomorrow?" 

Zevran's tone is light but I can't quite suppress the flinch his words cause me. I try to maintain a smile but I doubt it reaches my eyes. It takes less than a second before it's clear that he notices something is wrong. I sit up against the large wooden headboard and I keep my eyes focused on the bed in front of me. A spot soon filled by the Antivan as he moves closer. 

"You are not yourself tonight my love." His brows crease in concern. His hand reaches out and gently lifts my chin. My eyes following suit. 

"This might be our last night together" The words escape my mouth before I realize what I've said.

Well I guess that’s one way to start this conversation. He opens his mouth to respond but I'm faster. 

"Riorden told us earlier that for an Archdemon to be killed, a warden must also sacrifice their life." 

I can see as the words sink in. His eyes widen.

"What does this mean? That you will die facing the Archdemon?"

My mouth is dry. "Possibly." I watch his face change from sadness to hope. The gnawing in my stomach increases. "There is a way that a warden can survive killing an Archdemon."

"What is it? Tell me and it is done" He stands up off the bed and for a moment I'm fully convinced that if it were something as simple as collecting a rare element he'd go and hunt it down tonight. I can see the conviction in his eyes.

"It's not that easy. Morrigan has a ritual, but if I were to go through with it you'd never forgive me"

Zevran's face shifts to hurt. "I don’t think you are the one to tell me what I will and will not forgive. What does this ritual entail?"

My gaze drops to the bed again.  "I would..." No holding back "I would have to lay with Morrigan and conceive a child with her" There it's out. I await the yelling, the storming out. It never happens.

Instead I feel weight on the bed. I lift my eyes. Zevran is in front of me again crawling towards me. He doesn't speak. He simply takes my face in both hands and presses a soft kiss to my lips. It feels like a weight has been taken from my shoulders. Zevran was a smooth talker but his actions often spoke louder. 

He was the one to pull away. His thumb stroking my cheekbone. "That is what you meant?" I nod.

"I care for you Zevran. I don't like the idea, knowing I'd be betraying what we have" my eyes begin to sting. "But Alistair and Ailsa don't deserve to die."

Zevran forces me to hold his gaze "I see no betrayal in this. You have come to me with guilt, and yet no act of passion has occurred." Zevran sits back. "If I must give you to Morrigan for one night so that we may have many more together I will gladly do so!"

He smiles at me and I cannot help but return it.  Zevran takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles "Now you run along. If you are not too exhausted after your encounter with the witch then perhaps we can still enjoy each-others company, if you know what I mean." He winks.

I can’t help but chuckle at his inuendo. It's certainly milder than I've heard from him before but the knowledge that he isn’t done with me lifts my spirits. I squeeze his hand. "I will return. Meet me in my quarters after." I say as I stand. His hand slipping from my grasp as I walk away.

I waste no time going back to Morrigan. I knock on the door to her room. A moment later she appears. Jewels and shawl removed. She looks me up and down, taking in my ruffled hair. A knowing smirk forms on her lips.

"Have you decided?"

I nod, "I'm ready" 

Morrigan opens the door wider gesturing for me to enter. My hand drifts to the outline of the earring in my pocket and I walk inside. 

* * *

Morrigan can be a kind lover despite what one might think, though it was quick, not the love making I treasure with Zevran. We both finished and washed. I sit on the bed after it all, at a loss for words. What do I say to her? 'Thank you for helping me not die'? Do I just leave now? No that would be rude. I dress in just my leggings, my tunic still in a pile on the floor. I sit heavily on the bed. Ever the observant one she sits next to me, only a sheet wrapped around her body. Then, she smiles at me, it's an understanding smile, however brief.

"Go back to him." I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. "I know 'tis not I you wish to spend the night with."

"Are you sure?" 

"Fear not, I can take care of myself. Now go" Morrigan nods toward the door.

I get up from the bed, sliding my tunic over my head. Before I leave I go back to Morrigan. I bend down and place a soft kiss on her forehead and whisper "thank you." 

When I pull away I have to hold back a laugh. For a split second Morrigan looks content, happy even, but as quickly as it appeared it vanishes and she now resembles an unimpressed cat. 

"Goodnight Morrigan" 

"Goodnight Keir."

I slip out of the room. I pass by a servant who is still awake. I ask her to bring new bed linin and some tea from the kitchen for Morrigan. It seems inadequate compared to what she has done for me. I slip the servant a silver and apologize for keeping her up longer. The rest is a blur until I'm standing in front of my door. Part of me fears I'll open the door to find the room empty. I honestly wouldn't blame Zevran. 

My worries are dashed when I find the other elf sprawled across my bed. He has stripped down to his small clothes, his hair fanned out around his head. I shed my clothing till I too am in my smalls and climb onto the bed beside him. He wakes easily.

He blinks sleepily, and props himself up on his elbows. "I am sorry Amor. I must have fallen asleep. We can still-"

I bend over him and capture his mouth in a kiss before he can finish his sentence. Its feels like forever before we pull back for air and I rest my forehead to his. I relish in the intimacy. "Can you just hold me?" 

His hand, calloused from battle brushes the hair from my face and cups my cheek. I mirror him, my thumb running along the dark tattoos that rest on his cheekbone.

"I am yours." I relax at the words. Zevran reaches over and blows out the candle beside the bed. We fall back to the bed and slide beneath the blanket. His arms hold me tight to his chest, my head above his heart. 

I feel a warmth in my own chest. Reminiscent of when Zevran confessed his feelings after we encountered Taliesen. I want to say those words. It's probably too early for such confessions but one cannot wait when we both face death on a daily basis.

The words come out easier than I expected but I can't bring myself to say them in common for fear of scaring him off.

"Ar lath ma vhenan." I say quietly but with as much meaning as I can muster.

I feel a hitch in his breath beneath my head. I don’t know if he fully understood, but he squeezes me tighter. He doesn't say anything, but he never has too.

We lay there in the dark simply enjoying each-others presence as we drift into the fade, and for a moment I swear I hear the soft words "Te amo" before I fall into dreams of a different time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I love Zevran with all my heart but writing his dialogue can be a challenge sometimes.
> 
> For now this is a oneshot, I have nothing else planned but depending on the reaction this gets I might continue in the future.


End file.
